Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a fancy way to describe the process of affecting the visibility of a website or web page in a search engine’s “natural” or un-paid (“organic”) search results. When a potential customer types a term or keyword into the search box and submits a query, the site will respond with search engine response pages (SERPs). Search engines want to provide the best possible responses for their visitors so they build algorithms (special coding) that scour the internet to find websites that fit their specifications.

What do search engines want?

The simplest way to describe what search engines are looking for –

• Relevance
• Credibility

Of course there’s more to SEO than that but if you break it down to bare bones, that’s all they really want. They want to know if your website will satisfy their visitor’s request and they want to know if the content on your page is true. Since we’re talking about computers, we must rely on algorithms – artificial intelligence – to make the determination. With every new update, savvy marketers and techies around the world find a way to break the code and cheat their way on to high ranking SERPs. This is why updates are regularly performed and new algorithms are developed. However, if you optimize your site using “white glove” practices, you won’t have to worry too much about new coding.

How do I optimize my site?

Develop Great Content. The algorithms that are reviewing the content on your site “sees” only words. You want to develop content that delights visitors and potential customers. Find out what questions they have and answer them. Show them how your product or service solves their problem. When discussing your product’s features and benefits, describe in detail how they solve problems. Talk more about them and LESS about you.

Design for the Visitor. Create a page that is user-friendly, eye-pleasing, legible and easy to navigate in order to keep your bounce rate low. The bounce rate is determined by measuring how long a visitor spends on the page before leaving. This measurable helps determine relevance – if the visitor stays on the page longer than a few seconds, the algorithm decides that the user found what they were looking for and therefore the query has been successfully satisfied.

Build Credibility. Develop and build relationships with credible sites that will create content relevant to your business and provide backlinks to your site. Create your own content that showcases your area of expertise. Once you’re established as an expert in your field, people will link to your content to help support their own. This process tells the algorithm that you know what you’re talking about – building your credibility.

So, how does SBO help with any of this?!

SupportBlackOwned.com is the largest, active online directory showcasing Black-owned businesses. Our team has mastered the SEO process and ranks in the top 10 results on Google for several keyword terms including “black owned,” “black owned businesses,” “black business directory,” and many other valuable queries such as people looking for a particular business in a designated area (ie. “black owned jewelry new york”). An SBO listing will build your credibility by providing a backlink from a reputable site and relevant copy supporting your business.

SBO isn’t just another place to be “found” online. It is a tool that will help build your business. We’re working for you. If your company currently has a Basic Listing on our website, upgrade today to take advantage of the SEO benefits SBO offers. If you’ve been on the fence about creating a listing, now is the perfect time to invest in your business and increase your exposure.

See Author